GameCentral readers talk about their most beloved video game tat, from toys and soundtracks to T-shirts and… rubber ducks?

The talking point for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Gadfly. Discounting actual games he wanted to know what your favourite piece of video game-related merchandise is and where you got it from. Do you think there is too much nowadays or not enough, and what would be your dream purchase?

A lot of the items mentioned came from collector’s editions of games, but there were also a lot of action figures and statutes. Many people mentioned disliking a certain kind of merchandise, be it toys or clothes, but everyone seemed to have at least one special something to remind them of a favourite game.

Bathroom accessory
I think I can this one quite comprehensively: I am the proud owner of a Chocbo rubber duck. My girlfriend got it for me one birthday (off eBay she says) knowing that I’m a big Final Fantasy fan (or at least that I used to be, but let’s not get into that right now) and having no idea of its existence I was over the moon.

It just sits by the side of our bath now (and okay, sometimes in it) and I love explaining to visitors what it is and have their eyes glaze over when they fail to understand. I don’t have much else in the way of merchandise, since I never get collector’s editions, but I do like the ideas of other wackier things I’ve seen online like the Resident Evil perfume and the No More Heroes toilet paper.St1nger

Virtual keepsake
I’m not one for toys usually but I have to tell you I did get unreasonably excited about owning my own working ocarina. They were giving them out at one of the Zelda symphony events and although it’s basically a cheap bit of plastic and I can’t play it properly (or it doesn’t work, I’d like to think it was that) it’s the right size and apart from the logo on it looks exactly like the prop from the game.

If I was to buy these sort of things myself that’s more what I’d go for. Maybe a scale replica Zelda sword and shield or a Dark Souls helmet. I don’t know what I’d actually do with anything like that but something that felt like a memento from inside the game, rather than just a doll or a statute.Crypton

Platinum collection
I don’t think I’ve quite grown out of action figures and of course nowadays you’re able to combine that quite easily with video games. I don’t know if GC are aware but Play Arts actually did a line of figures based on Platinum Games, with Bayonetta and Jeanne from… Bayonetta, and Sam and a Russian goon from Vanquish. They’re really good toys and they’re super rare, I advise not looking for them online now as they’re just depressingly expensive.

I have lots of other Metal Gear, Halo, and various Nintendo figures but I think these two sets are my favourite as they’re not only from two great games but there’s a special thrill in knowing how rare they are and how unlikely you were to get this sort of thing even just a few years ago.Iceman

Collect the set
Well, I did get this Assassin’s Creed IV model for Christmas alongside the game itself (I apologise for the garbage quality of the photo, my iPod’s as good as it’s going to get currently). Just having it on my desk got me into the mindset of the game and honestly, people give Assassin’s Creed a lot of stick but I loved every second of it, which is why I like the accompanying model so much.

Though I do feel it’s kind of goofy for one reason. Note the bottom of the base, it’s a semicircle. It’s so a Blackbeard statuette sold separately can slot in alongside it. So even models are getting downloadable content these days.DarkSapphire

Plastic pirate

Crossover merchandise
My favourite piece of gaming related merchandise is currently my Assassin’s Creed Recon jacket, a combination jacket/vest/hood inspired by the Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon franchises. It’s a superb creation by the guys at Ubi Workshop and I’m pleased they re-released it as I wasn’t quick enough to get one of the first batch as they sold out in no time.

I would have more bits of gaming merch, but the lack of many real quality items, their price, coupled with the fact that you often need to import incurring further shipping costs and then having to pay the thieving rogues at HMRC even more to release them from customs, it’s hard to find things worth the expense.This is probably a good thing in a way as it keeps my purchases to a minimum and only things I really want, rather than going mad and buying all sorts.

Saying that, I currently have my eyes on my next potential purchase. It straddles the line between games and comics, as it’s the Deathstroke mask from the DC Comics character, but the design is that from the Arkham Origins game. It is unfortunately ludicrously expensive for a plastic mask, and I also know that if/when I get it I’ll need to put together some black and gold body armour,and go scare the bejeezus out of people at Laser Quest…Murton76 (PSN ID)

No more tests
Well, there was a T-shirt that I got from Persona 4 that I still wear, but better still was the soundtrack that came with it. Very worth listening to. Nevermore and Your Affection are especially good as well as the game level theme. I was disappointed by the Heaven theme. It was bloody awful and I expected something much better and more beautiful. Disgaea 2 also came with a soundtrack, but alas did not include Mid Boss’s theme, Ah, My Wonderful Life – which was quite a pity.

Though, then again why do so few modern games not feature sound tests in game? Okay, not many are memorable enough to have sound tests but Rayman Legends was crying out for an in-game sound test, no? I loved just listening to the masterful scores in the likes of Streets Of Rage 2, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Street Fighter II (How odd: they all have twos in their names) for hours, they were that good. And now, they are a rarity. Shame that. At least we’ll always have Bayonetta.DMR

Nod if you like it

Collector’s special
As a soundtrack collector, the Persona 4, Demon’s Souls, and the two Dark Souls games came with official soundtrack albums, so I rate these very highly as they all had excellent music. J-Pop and gothic combinations amongst this lot are listened too very regularly.

Another favourite was the bobblehead Fallout boy from the Fallout 3 lunch box edition, now proudly residing on my old TV. But the pièce de résistance is my BioShock 2 collector’s edition with a record LP and CD of both BioShock games along with artwork book and basically special edition shine on all the items in the huge box which does stand proud in my room.

I’m all for special editions as long as it’s of a good quality and has relevance to the game and something which you feel you have not spent the extra for something that will loose your interest very quickly. So yeah, collector’s editions – why not? My Dark Souls II edition also came with a numbered and signed plaque by the games designer, so kudos to that.Alucard

Cutting edge controller
I’m a bit of a Nintendo zealot so I tend to horde a load of Nintendo-related merchandise; The treasure chest of Zelda game guides, the Club Nintendo statues, Super Mario plushes, radio-controlled Mario Kart characters, etc…

But my favourite piece of gaming merchandise, if very un-Nintendo like indeed, is the Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller for the GameCube!

I bought it from the awesome Watford Gamestation (RIP) at a time when I didn’t even own a GameCube, let alone a copy of Resident Evil 4! I just had to have it because it looked so damn cool and unlike any other peripheral I’ve ever seen. The display box is suitably gothic and features the blade of the chainsaw protruding out the side of the it. And each chainsaw is/was hand-splattered with ‘blood’ as they came off the production line, meaning no two are exactly alike.

It’s still sealed and still sits with pride in a prominent position on one of my bookcases. I paid around £35 for in 2005 and have seen sealed ones sell for over triple that on eBay/Amazon in the past. But I’d never sell mine… Just in case the El Gigante Twins ever break into my home.

A similar controller was also released for the PlayStation 2, but the display box was much cheaper-looking and they were manufactured in way higher numbers. I remember once seeing dozens of them piled up to the ceiling and being flogged for a tenner each in Virgin Megastore. I snorted at them with the aura of a Cognac drinker who had just been offered a swig of white cider.Bingo Rose